Wow, this has been quite a week. Probably one of the busiest and most stressful since I got here. Here it is:
Monday - This was the day of my observation by the people from the Shizuoka Board of Education. Ashley Harvey, the JET ALT Prefectural Advisor and Yasuo Suzuki the Japanese supervisor of ALTs both came to the school to observe a few of my classes. So I had class 2nd period with our Elective English class. They were doing their final presentations on their high school life. Some good presentations. This class is not the strongest at English but they try really hard. Then 3rd period we had an observed lesson for our 2nd year International course class. This was with me, Andrea, and Dobashi-sensei. They are working on presentations about various countries around the world and we did a sample "bad" presentation to show them what not to do. Then we observed them while they did group work. Right after that class was my observed OC I class with Hara-sensei. It was a lesson on small talk. It was one of the shyest classes but it went pretty well. They did good. Then me and Andrea had lunch with Ashley and talked to him about all kinds of things. After that was a non-observed first year International course class where we taught them English terms for origami. Finally we had a meeting with Ashley, Yasuo-sensei, and the entire English department during 6th period. I got a lot of great feedback and tips about the classes. It was really good to have a productive meeting full of compliments, advice, tips, and constructive criticism. It was just like an Adam Hester post-run through notes session. So...that was just Monday.
Tuesday was a relatively slow day. Two classes but my first period English II class really annoyed me. They were not well behaved and I had to stop and actually make this comment in the middle of an activity: "Okay, I want you all to stop. Please move back into your rows (they were sitting in groups.) There are too many people talking and not enough people writing." I hate being an adult sometimes. So we finally got through the lesson. Then there was another first year International course lesson later in the day.
Wednesday: This was THE day. 1st period: 3rd year International course final speeches. We gave them a choice to either do a speech or write a paper. There are 36 students and 6 people did a speech. So the speeches ended pretty quickly. They were pretty good. One was great. After they finished we had all 36 students stand and say what their post-graduation plans are. 2nd period: OC I lesson. Careers. A decent lesson with a decent class. 3rd period: A new English II lesson. A lesson on how to order pizza in English. It was fun and the students liked it but it was one of those lessons that requires the ALT to be a big time entertainer so it took a lot of energy. 4th period: a break. Lunch: A curry filled donut. Better than it sounds. 5th period: Another OC I career lesson. Good class. Went well. Getting very tired. 6th period: Another OC I career lesson. Bad class. Lots of talkative boys. Absolutely love the girls in front for participating. They are wonderful to me. Very, very tired. Cleaning time: Stood there staring off into space. Finally all classes are over but guess what: I have to have an OC I lesson plan done for Thursday by the end of the day and I'm not ready! So I stay at work an extra hour finishing the lesson plan and finally get home at 5:40. I had planned to cook. We got take out Don Don instead. The Kaki Fry Bento was especially good. That's a bento with fried oysters. Very good. While Kelly gave Caspian a bath I fell asleep with my head on my computer. In bed by 9:45.
Thursday: It's only Thursday?!?!?!?!?!?! One class! We can do it. New OC I lesson. I get to work early and explain the lesson to all necessary parties. Everybdy is like, "what?" We do it anyway with loads of fast-paced preparation the hour beforehand. My class goes okay. Sasaki-sensei said, "Not bad for not having a meeting about it." I was like, "Bleh." We got through it. That's what counts. No more classes for the day. I read and corrected six 16HR student diaries. Then I proofread a teacher's essay for a grant application and graded some 3rd year International course papers. Remember those? Yeah, they are hard to read. I only got through about 8. Finally the day was over. I came home and cooked some delicious (if I do say so myself) Buffalo chicken bites and garlic mashed potatoes. We watched LOST and now I'm writing this and listening to music. Current song: How to Disappear Completely by Radiohead. I feel that.
Tomorrow: One class. Elective English. Two presentations, a video, and goodbyes. Following that I will finish grading 36HR papers and call it a week. I think I've earned some internet at work time. Agreed? Agreed.
Can't wait for the weekend! What's that? Laundry needs to be done? Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!
3 comments:
My comment got lost so again...I'm exhausted just reading about your week. I hope it's a long time before you have another one like it.
I'm lauhing at your last comment about laundry needing to be done. That's how I feel all the time: I finally finish a huge to-do list wich includes laundry, and the next thing I know, I turn around and the laundry baskets are already full again. I hope you are able to take this weekend to refill your "Kory Bucket" so that you can start anew Monday. While she's at it, why don't you ask Kelly is she wants to give our gerbils a bath. They are starting to smell. They're still really cute though.
My sympathies...... - hope this week is much easier!
Post a Comment